Gado Gado salad

An Indonesian vegan favourite

This is one of my favourite dishes at the moment! Traditionally it is made with egg, feel free to substitute the tofu with egg if thats what you prefer. Gado Gado translates as ‘mix mix’ and that is literally what it is. Experiment with cutting the ingredients into different shapes and sizes, stir frying them or simply serve them raw. The peanut dressing is what really gives this dish its full power flavour and provides a lovely nutrient dense light lunch.
The cayenne powder which is an ingredient in the peanut sauce makes a great addition in boosting metabolism and reducing hunger and cravings.

Ingredients

For the salad:
1/2 small broccoli finely chopped
1 carrot finely grated
1 handful spinach leaves or mixed salad leaves
2 spring onions chopped
5 to 6 radishes thinly sliced
Handful of freshly chopped coriander
1/4 wedge of red cabbage finely grated
1 small courgette grated
Half a banana sliced
Handful of cherry tomatoes
100g firm organic tofu (Tofuu naked Tofu available from Sainsburys) 2 wedges of lime

For the Tofu marinade:
4 Tbsp Tamari (Gluten free option) or Soy sauce 1 Tsp sesame oil
1 Garlic clove minced
2 Tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp lime juice

For the peanut sauce:
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
60ml organic coconut milk (canned)
60ml water
1 Tbs Tamari sauce(Gluten free option) or Soy sauce 1 Garlic clove minced
2 Tsp grated ginger
1 Tsp honey or maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 Tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 Tsp tumeric powder

Method

  1. Mix the ingredients for the tofu marinade together in a bowl. Chop the tofu into cubes and place in the marinade for up to 15 minutes.
  2. Place the tofu on grease proof paper, on an oven tray and Bake the tofu at 180 degrees for 25 minutes. You can turn the tofu over once half way through during cooking.
  3. Once the vegetables are chopped you can either combine them and place them in a pan (except banana, tomatoes and coriander) and give them a stir fry for a few minutes to soften them (a better option for a cold day or if your body has difficulty in digesting raw food). Serve in a bowl and add the cherry tomatoes, banana and coriander.
  4. The second option is to simply combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl and serve raw which can also be really lovely when the weather is warmer or you simply feel the need for fresh raw ingredients.
  5. Once you have chosen your option assemble the ingredients on a plate, place the tofu on top and pour over the peanut sauce.